MONTREAL – In the course of 13 seasons with the Montreal Expos, Tim Raines surely enjoyed his share of ovations. A seven-time All-Star, he once stole 70 bases six years in a row. Along the way, Expos fans had plenty of occasion to cheer.
But Raines had never received an ovation quite like the one fans offered Friday during a “really emotional” pre-game ceremony at Olympic Stadium that featured an assortment of his former Expos teammates. This time he’s a Hall of Famer.
“It’s different,” Raines said. “I was just a retired major-league player up until this year. Now when they announce my name, they announce me as Hall of Famer Tim Raines. For me, that means everything.”
“But not only that,” Raines continued. “To hear the crowd show me the warmth, how they’re proud of me as well, that I’m one of theirs, because I feel like I’m one of theirs as well. They’re the ones that inspired me to do the things that I did on the field.”
Though many of those in attendance at Olympic Stadium weren’t around to witness Raines play for the Expos from 1979 to 1990, he was welcomed by thousands of loud fans, many of whom were wearing his jersey.
“It felt like old times, other than me not being able to play again,” Raines said. “I felt the vibe, the fans like it was back in the old days.”
“I’m happy that I was able to share this day with them, the fans,” he added. “I’m sure a lot of them here never really had a chance to see me play, but their parents, brothers or sisters did and I’m happy to be an Expo, and not only that but to be a part of this city.”
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Raines, who was officially elected into the Hall of Fame in January, will enter Cooperstown this July along with Jeff Bagwell, Ivan Rodriguez, longtime commissioner Bud Selig and executive John Schuerholz. His numbers—808 stolen bases, a .385 on-base percentage, 2,605 hits—haven’t changed, but he’ll now be recognized alongside baseball’s best all-time players.
A lot has changed for Raines since he got the good news in January, even his signature. Last year some fans asked him to sign his name with ‘HoF’ in anticipation of his induction, and he wouldn’t do it.
“I felt like it was a bad omen,” Raines said. “(Now) I don’t do it all of the time, but I know any time I sign my name, I can do that.”
Every time the Blue Jays play exhibition games at Olympic Stadium, the topic of an MLB team in Montreal surfaces. Raines’ longtime teammate, Warren Cromartie, continues leading the Montreal Baseball Project in the hopes of securing an MLB franchise, though serious talks will likely have to wait until the Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays determine next steps in their respective markets.
If the Expos do ever come back to Montreal, they’ll have the support of their longtime leadoff hitter.
“Oh yeah,” he said. “No question. Hopefully it happens soon. It could be two years from now, it could be two or three years from now, it could be 30 years from now. Regardless of when it happens, I’m definitely going to be a part of it.”
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